Forrest firemen train by burning home they saved from fire

Firefighters from Forrest County begin a training exercise on the Conley home Wednesday night. The family donated the house for training.

FORREST COUNTY, MS (WDAM) -

Some Forrest County firefighters have gotten some valuable training experience by burning down a house they just saved from a fire a few months ago. Firefighters from McLaurin and other South Forrest County volunteer departments used the Conley Home on South Gate Road for training Wednesday evening.

Last December, many of the same firemen put out a fire at that home, saving the majority of it. But, after it was totaled by the insurance company, the family donated it for training.

About two dozen firefighters took part in several exercises, before it was burned down.

The family will re-build on the property.

"Most of the guys don't get this kind of experience, except for briefly at the State Fire Academy, to do live-burn fire training until they have to go out and save someone's home," said Capt. Taylor Sivley, training officer for the McLaurin Volunteer Fire Dept.

"The young guys who we get in, we can actually let them get real life training right after they get out of their Level One class, so they can feel what it's really like to be inside a real house fire," said Orrin Berry, chief of the McLaurin Volunteer Fire Dept.

Firefighters from Dixie, Brooklyn and Carnes also participated in the training.

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